Sol square squatters turn Madrid fountain into a swimming pool

A post on X shows people using the Puerta del Sol fountain in Madrid as a swimming pool and criticises it as a sign of "third-world behaviour". The episode raises the question of how far the right to public space extends in an iconic square.

## Criticism of using the fountain as a pool

A post on **X** shows several people using the fountain at **Puerta del Sol** in Madrid as if it were a swimming pool. The text accompanying the image rejects normalising what it describes as a scene of "third-world behaviour" in an iconic square. The image and comment circulated as a complaint about informal use of public space.

Puerta del Sol is one of the busiest spots in **Madrid** and a transport hub with thousands of daily users. The fountain that dominates the square was not designed for bathing. Its recreational use raises maintenance, safety and hygiene problems that fall on the public purse.

## The cost of maintaining public space

Whenever an ornamental fountain is used as a swimming pool, the City Council bears the costs of cleaning, repairs and sanitary control. These figures do not appear in the post, but any local authority that manages tourist squares knows the bill. The wear and tear on street furniture is paid for with everyone's taxes.

The episode also touches on a question of coexistence. A square is not a water park, but neither is it an untouchable museum. The balance between free use and conservation is what is at stake when someone decides to get into an 18th-century fountain.

## The underlying debate

The criticism in the post points to a broader idea: what is considered acceptable in shared space. The author of the tweet does not talk about a specific person, but about a practice. The word "third-world behaviour" is an opinion, not a fact, and should be read as such.

The debate over the use of fountains and public squares is not new in tourist cities. **Barcelona**, **Rome** and **Paris** have passed ordinances to regulate bathing in fountains and consumption in the street. Madrid has its own coexistence rules, although their enforcement depends on available policing.

## Key points

- The post on **X** shows the Puerta del Sol fountain being used as a swimming pool.
- The text criticises normalising what it calls "third-world behaviour" in the square.
- Puerta del Sol is a transport hub with thousands of daily users in **Madrid**.
- Ornamental fountains are not designed for bathing, and their use generates cleaning and repair costs.
- Several European cities regulate bathing in fountains through public order ordinances.